Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars

T. F. Bristow; J. P. Grotzinger; E. B. Rampe; J. Cuadros; S. J. Chipera; G. W. Downs; C. M. Fedo; J. Frydenvang; A. C. McAdam; R. V. Morris; C. N. Achilles; D. F. Blake; N. Castle; P. Craig; D. J. Des Marais; R. T. Downs; R. M. Hazen; D. W. Ming; S. M. Morrison; M. T. Thorpe; A. H. Treiman; V. Tu; D. T. Vaniman; A. S. Yen; R. Gellert; P. R. Mahaffy; R. C. Wiens; A. B. Bryk; K. A. Bennett; V. K. Fox; R. E. Millken; A. A. Fraeman; A. R. Vasavada

doi:10.1126/science.abg5449

Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars

T. F. Bristow, J. P. Grotzinger, E. B. Rampe, J. Cuadros, S. J. Chipera, G. W. Downs, C. M. Fedo, J. Frydenvang, A. C. McAdam, R. V. Morris, C. N. Achilles, D. F. Blake, N. Castle, P. Craig, D. J. Des Marais, R. T. Downs, R. M. Hazen, D. W. Ming, S. M. Morrison, M. T. ThorpeA. H. Treiman, V. Tu, D. T. Vaniman, A. S. Yen, R. Gellert, P. R. Mahaffy, R. C. Wiens, A. B. Bryk, K. A. Bennett, V. K. Fox, R. E. Millken, A. A. Fraeman, A. R. Vasavada

Geosciences

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Abstract

Mars’ sedimentary rock record preserves information on geological (and potential astrobiological) processes that occurred on the planet billions of years ago. The Curiosity rover is exploring the lower reaches of Mount Sharp, in Gale crater on Mars. A traverse from Vera Rubin ridge to Glen Torridon has allowed Curiosity to examine a lateral transect of rock strata laid down in a martian lake ~3.5 billion years ago. We report spatial differences in the mineralogy of time-equivalent sedimentary rocks <400 meters apart. These differences indicate localized infiltration of silica-poor brines, generated during deposition of overlying magnesium sulfate–bearing strata. We propose that destabilization of silicate minerals driven by silica-poor brines (rarely observed on Earth) was widespread on ancient Mars, because sulfate deposits are globally distributed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	198-204
Number of pages	7
Journal	Science
Volume	373
Issue number	6551
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg5449
State	Published - Jul 9 2021

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Bristow, T. F., Grotzinger, J. P., Rampe, E. B., Cuadros, J., Chipera, S. J., Downs, G. W., Fedo, C. M., Frydenvang, J., McAdam, A. C., Morris, R. V., Achilles, C. N., Blake, D. F., Castle, N., Craig, P., Des Marais, D. J., Downs, R. T., Hazen, R. M., Ming, D. W., Morrison, S. M., ... Vasavada, A. R. (2021). Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars. Science, 373(6551), 198-204. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg5449

Bristow, TF, Grotzinger, JP, Rampe, EB, Cuadros, J, Chipera, SJ, Downs, GW, Fedo, CM, Frydenvang, J, McAdam, AC, Morris, RV, Achilles, CN, Blake, DF, Castle, N, Craig, P, Des Marais, DJ, Downs, RT, Hazen, RM, Ming, DW, Morrison, SM, Thorpe, MT, Treiman, AH, Tu, V, Vaniman, DT, Yen, AS, Gellert, R, Mahaffy, PR, Wiens, RC, Bryk, AB, Bennett, KA, Fox, VK, Millken, RE, Fraeman, AA & Vasavada, AR 2021, 'Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars', Science, vol. 373, no. 6551, pp. 198-204. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg5449

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title = "Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars",

abstract = "Mars{\textquoteright} sedimentary rock record preserves information on geological (and potential astrobiological) processes that occurred on the planet billions of years ago. The Curiosity rover is exploring the lower reaches of Mount Sharp, in Gale crater on Mars. A traverse from Vera Rubin ridge to Glen Torridon has allowed Curiosity to examine a lateral transect of rock strata laid down in a martian lake ~3.5 billion years ago. We report spatial differences in the mineralogy of time-equivalent sedimentary rocks <400 meters apart. These differences indicate localized infiltration of silica-poor brines, generated during deposition of overlying magnesium sulfate–bearing strata. We propose that destabilization of silicate minerals driven by silica-poor brines (rarely observed on Earth) was widespread on ancient Mars, because sulfate deposits are globally distributed.",

author = "Bristow, {T. F.} and Grotzinger, {J. P.} and Rampe, {E. B.} and J. Cuadros and Chipera, {S. J.} and Downs, {G. W.} and Fedo, {C. M.} and J. Frydenvang and McAdam, {A. C.} and Morris, {R. V.} and Achilles, {C. N.} and Blake, {D. F.} and N. Castle and P. Craig and {Des Marais}, {D. J.} and Downs, {R. T.} and Hazen, {R. M.} and Ming, {D. W.} and Morrison, {S. M.} and Thorpe, {M. T.} and Treiman, {A. H.} and V. Tu and Vaniman, {D. T.} and Yen, {A. S.} and R. Gellert and Mahaffy, {P. R.} and Wiens, {R. C.} and Bryk, {A. B.} and Bennett, {K. A.} and Fox, {V. K.} and Millken, {R. E.} and Fraeman, {A. A.} and Vasavada, {A. R.}",

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year = "2021",

month = jul,

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doi = "10.1126/science.abg5449",

language = "English (US)",

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AU - Bristow, T. F.

AU - Grotzinger, J. P.

AU - Rampe, E. B.

AU - Cuadros, J.

AU - Chipera, S. J.

AU - Downs, G. W.

AU - Fedo, C. M.

AU - Frydenvang, J.

AU - McAdam, A. C.

AU - Morris, R. V.

AU - Achilles, C. N.

AU - Blake, D. F.

AU - Castle, N.

AU - Craig, P.

AU - Des Marais, D. J.

AU - Downs, R. T.

AU - Hazen, R. M.

AU - Ming, D. W.

AU - Morrison, S. M.

AU - Thorpe, M. T.

AU - Treiman, A. H.

AU - Tu, V.

AU - Vaniman, D. T.

AU - Yen, A. S.

AU - Gellert, R.

AU - Mahaffy, P. R.

AU - Wiens, R. C.

AU - Bryk, A. B.

AU - Bennett, K. A.

AU - Fox, V. K.

AU - Millken, R. E.

AU - Fraeman, A. A.

AU - Vasavada, A. R.

PY - 2021/7/9

Y1 - 2021/7/9

N2 - Mars’ sedimentary rock record preserves information on geological (and potential astrobiological) processes that occurred on the planet billions of years ago. The Curiosity rover is exploring the lower reaches of Mount Sharp, in Gale crater on Mars. A traverse from Vera Rubin ridge to Glen Torridon has allowed Curiosity to examine a lateral transect of rock strata laid down in a martian lake ~3.5 billion years ago. We report spatial differences in the mineralogy of time-equivalent sedimentary rocks <400 meters apart. These differences indicate localized infiltration of silica-poor brines, generated during deposition of overlying magnesium sulfate–bearing strata. We propose that destabilization of silicate minerals driven by silica-poor brines (rarely observed on Earth) was widespread on ancient Mars, because sulfate deposits are globally distributed.

AB - Mars’ sedimentary rock record preserves information on geological (and potential astrobiological) processes that occurred on the planet billions of years ago. The Curiosity rover is exploring the lower reaches of Mount Sharp, in Gale crater on Mars. A traverse from Vera Rubin ridge to Glen Torridon has allowed Curiosity to examine a lateral transect of rock strata laid down in a martian lake ~3.5 billion years ago. We report spatial differences in the mineralogy of time-equivalent sedimentary rocks <400 meters apart. These differences indicate localized infiltration of silica-poor brines, generated during deposition of overlying magnesium sulfate–bearing strata. We propose that destabilization of silicate minerals driven by silica-poor brines (rarely observed on Earth) was widespread on ancient Mars, because sulfate deposits are globally distributed.

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Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars

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